Chapter Five: Management Structure Back

Another factor in the development of a government channel is the way it will be managed within the government organization and the operating staff. Cable management and operations vary extensively in this area. Some jurisdictions place administrative control under the city manager or chief administrative officer. Others make the channel part of the library, parks/recreation, the city clerk's office, public information, or information technology. In a number of cases, the channel starts under the city manager, then is moved to another department or made into a department on its own.

Which department the government channel is placed in indicates how well it has achieved its goals. Therefore, it is important to weigh carefully which department will best implement the channel's initial objectives.

It is also important to realize that the ability to remain independent and serve other departments depends on how the channel was first organized. The following paragraphs are a  number of management and staffing models are currently in use by government channels. Like all models, they have a historical basis, and each share common management elements consisting of a manager/department head and one or two key employees.

Retraining Current Employees

Some cities recruit current employees to manage and staff the government channel. This method was originally used when government channels first appeared, and cities had trouble finding qualified personnel. The process is successful if the retained staff are dedicated to the new tasks and are well-trained. However, two potential drawbacks are: (1) determining if the retained employees are qualified, and (2) the extra time spent for training. It can be difficult to determine which employees have the abilities to handle the demand of a government access channel, and how long it will take to train.

Hiring New Employees with Operations Experience

Once government channels were established, the traditional method of staffing was to hire staff with operations experience. This method proved successful and many channels flourished as a result. However, experienced personal can enter the job situation with preconceived ideas and set patterns of working. The rise of strong unions and civil service exemptions institutionalized these patterns and may lead to less innovation.

Combinations of Contract Employees and Civil Service

Realizing the potential drawbacks of hiring experienced staff, newer government channels have opted to hire both civil service and contract employees.  Government channels tend to be enriched by the influence of employees with commercial media experience. There are also savings in cost of benefits in this model.

Using Volunteers and Interns

Some cities use only volunteers and interns for their channel staffing needs.  Because they work for little or no pay, they usually commit to working for short periods of time. It can be very difficult to develop regular, consistent government programming when staffing is this inconsistent. However, student interns and/or volunteers are usually happy for the experience and work very hard for a good recommendation. In this model there is great potential for a rewarding experience for each side.

Combining Forces

These are only some of the viable staffing models. We do not recommend using any one method, but rather a combination of methods. Government channels that are most successful keep their staffing options open. The general rule of thumb is always: Remain flexible and ready for change.